In *Civilization 7*, the Modern Age is a pivotal era where the game's outcome is determined, marking the culmination of your strategic journey from the Exploration Age. To secure victory, selecting the right civilization is crucial, especially with the ten available choices (or eleven if you have the Crossroads of the World DLC). When paired with the right leaders, these civilizations can create powerful synergies. Below, we present a tier list to help you navigate the best Modern Age civilizations in *Civ 7*.
Remember, the leader you choose will further enhance your gameplay, and the right combination with your civilization can lead to strong synergies. Our tier list focuses on the base power of each civilization, so consider how your chosen leader will interact with and potentially amplify these strengths.
Best Civ 7 Modern Civs
Civ 7 Modern Civs Tier List
S-tier: America, Meiji Japan
A-tier: French Empire, Mexico, Qing
B-tier: Buganda, Prussia, Russia, Siam
C-tier: Mughal
Note: We haven't ranked the new DLC Civ Great Britain yet - time will tell how it measures up!
S-Tier Modern Civs
These are the cream of the crop in Civilization 7, offering unparalleled advantages in military prowess and resource access, enabling you to dominate the game map.
S-tier: America
Frontier Expansion - Gain 100 Gold every time you improve a Resource. +30% Production towards constructing the Statue of Liberty.
Marine - American Unique Infantry Unit with the Amphibious ability. Cheaper to train.
Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit that claims a Land Resource outside your regular Settlement radius.
Industrial Park - American Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Railyard and Steel Mill in the same district. Provides +2 Food in this City for every Resource assigned to this City.
Railyard - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Quarters and Wonders. American Unique Production Building. Ageless.
Steel Mill - +6 Production. Gold adjacency for Resources and Wonders. American Unique Production Building. Ageless.
America excels in the Modern Age by leveraging a wide array of resources. The Frontier Expansion trait offers substantial gold boosts from resource improvements, while the Railyard and Steel Mill combine to form the Industrial Park, boosting Food, Production, and Gold. This versatility allows the USA to expand rapidly and maintain high production levels. The Prospector can secure crucial resources, and the Marine's Amphibious ability adds tactical flexibility, making America a well-rounded choice for any victory path.
S-tier: Meiji Japan
Goisshin - Gain Science equal to 50% of the Building’s Production cost when Overbuilding a Building. +30% Production towards constructing Dogo Onsen.
Mikasa - Meiji Japanese Unique Heavy Naval Unit that respawns at the closest Settlement at 50% HP upon destruction.
Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit with increased range and +4 Combat Strength against other Fighter Air Units. Can intercept enemy Air Units.
Zaibatsu - Meiji Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Ginko and Jukogyo in the same District. Provides +1 Gold and Production on Buildings in adjacent Districts.
Ginko - +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Meiji Japan Unique Gold Building. Ageless.
Jukogyo - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Coastal Terrain and Wonders. Meiji Japan Unique Production Building. Ageless.
Meiji Japan is a powerhouse in the Modern Age, offering strong resource management and formidable military units. The Goisshin trait allows for efficient building upgrades with Science returns, while the Zaibatsu Quarter boosts Gold and Production significantly. The Mikasa's ability to respawn adds resilience to your naval fleet, and the Zero's enhanced combat capabilities make it a dominant force in the air, ensuring Meiji Japan is well-equipped for endgame success.
A-Tier Modern Civs
A-Tier civilizations provide a strong foundation for various victory types, with access to key resources and unique military units.
A-Tier: French Empire
Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - Choose the Celebration effects of any standard Government in the Modern Age. +30% Production towards constructing the Eiffel Tower.
Garde Imperiale - French Imperial Unique Infantry Unit that can make a Ranged attack. +2 Combat Strength within a friendly Army Commander Radius. More expensive to train.
Jacobin - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities with an Avenue. The specific Jacobin received once, with costs increasing per Jacobin trained.
Avenue - French Imperial Quarter formed by constructing the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon in the same District. Provides +2 Happiness on Quarters in this City.
Jardin a la Francaise - +5 Culture. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders. French Empire Unique Culture Building. Ageless.
Salon - +5 Happiness. +1 Culture Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. French Empire Unique Happiness Building. Ageless.
The French Empire is ideal for those pursuing a Cultural victory, with the Avenue boosting Culture and Happiness, creating a powerful feedback loop. The Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait enhances your ability to benefit from Celebrations, while the Garde Imperiale provides a defensive edge, ensuring you can focus on cultural development without fear of aggression.
A-Tier: Mexico
Revolucion - Starts with a unique Government, Revolucion, with one Celebration effect, +30% Culture for 10 Turns. Cannot enter any other Government type. +30% Production towards constructing Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Soldaderas - Mexican Unique Infantry Unit that heals adjacent Units +10 HP. Does not stack.
Revolucionario - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities with a Zocalo. The specific Revolucionario received is random, with costs increasing per Revolucionario trained.
Zocalo - Mexican Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes in the same District. Provides +2 Culture for every Tradition slotted into the Government.
Catedral - +5 Culture. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders. Mexican Unique Culture Building. Ageless.
Portal de Mercaderes - +5 Culture. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Mexican Unique Culture Building. Ageless.
Mexico is another Cultural powerhouse, offering substantial Culture and Gold through the Zocalo Quarter. The Revolucion trait provides a significant Culture boost during Celebrations, and the Soldaderas unit enhances unit survivability, making Mexico a strong contender for Cultural victories.
A-Tier: Qing
Kang Qian Shengshi - +4 Gold, +3 Culture, +2 Influence, but -1 Science from imported Resources. +30% Production towards constructing Chengde Mountain Resort.
Gusa - Qiang Unique Infantry Unit that gains +4 Combat Strength if adjacent to another Gusa.
Hangshang - Qing Unique Merchant who can establish a Trade Route to import Resources from a foreign Settlement. Gain 50 Gold for every Resource acquired when creating a naval Trade Route.
Huiguan - Qing Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Qianzhuang and Shiguan in the same District. Provides +35% Influence in this Settlement.
Shiguan - +6 Science. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. Qing Unique Science Building. Ageless.
Qianzhuang - +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Qing Unique Gold Building. Ageless.
The Qing civilization offers a balanced mix of Gold, Culture, and Influence, though it requires careful management due to the Science penalty from imported resources. With strategic resource and building management, the Qing can thrive, and the Gusa unit provides strong military support.
B-Tier Modern Civs
B-Tier civilizations offer solid benefits but may be more specialized and suited to specific strategies.
B-Tier: Buganda
River Raids - Gain Culture when pillaging Buildings or Improvements equal to the yield or healing gained. Land Military Units gain the Amphibious ability. +30% Production towards constructing Muzibu Azaala Mpanga.
Abambowa - Bugandan Unique Infantry Unit that heals +10 HP from Pillaging any tile.
Mwami - Bugandan Unique Army Commander that yields 50% from pillaging within its Command Radius.
Kabaka’s Lake - +3 Happiness. Receives Lake yield bonuses, including yields for all Buganda’s abilities and the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga Wonder. Bugandan Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on Flat Terrain. One per Settlement.
Buganda is perfect for aggressive players who enjoy pillaging enemy territories. The River Raids trait and the Abambowa and Mwami units provide significant gains from pillaging, though the civilization lacks direct access to key Modern Age yields like Science and Culture, necessitating constant warfare to compensate.
B-Tier: Prussia
Blood and Iron - Units receive +1 Combat Strength for every Unfriendly or worse Civ Relationship.
Hussar - Prussian Unique Cavalry Unit with +1 Movement and +1 Combat Strength for every Movement remaining.
Stuka - Prussian Ground Attack Air Unit with +3 Combat Strength against Land Units.
Staatseisenbahn - Prussian Unique Railroad that provides +2 Gold and Production on Rural tiles with a Staatseisenbahn.
Prussia is ideal for those who relish in military dominance and are willing to antagonize other civilizations. The Blood and Iron trait enhances combat strength based on negative relationships, and the Hussar and Stuka units are formidable in battle. However, Prussia's focus on military might may leave it lagging in other crucial areas like Science and Culture, requiring a balanced approach to maintain competitiveness.
B-Tier: Russia
Prosveshchenie - +1 Culture on Districts in Cities. +1 Science on Districts in Cities in Tundra. +30% Production towards constructing the Hermitage.
Cossack - Russian Unique Cavalry Unit with +4 Combat Strength in friendly territory.
Katyusha Rocket Launcher - Russian Unique Siege Unit with +1 Movement and the Splash ability, dealing damage to enemy Units adjacent to the target Unit.
Obschchina - +2 Food from adjacent Farms. +2 Culture in Tundra. Russian Empire Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Cannot be placed adjacent to another Obshchina.
Russia offers modest yield bonuses on Districts, with a focus on Science and Culture, especially in Tundra. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide strong defensive options, but Russia may struggle to match the specialized yields of other civilizations without strategic expansion into Tundra regions.
B-Tier: Siam
Itsapharahab - Gains a unique Diplomatic Action to immediately become Suzerain of a City-State at a higher Influence cost than Befriend Independent. +30% Production towards constructing Doi Suthep.
Chang Beun - Siamese Unique Ranged Unit with increased Ranged Strength and +1 Movement. Can move after attacking.
Uparat - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities when an Independent Power has been befriended. The specific Uparat received is random, with costs increasing per Uparat trained.
Bang - +3 Culture and Happiness. Siamese Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on a Navigable River.
Siam's unique trait allows for immediate suzerainty over City-States, which can be powerful if you can manage the Influence cost. The Chang Beun unit offers tactical flexibility, but Siam's effectiveness largely depends on the right City-States appearing and your ability to generate Influence.
C-Tier Modern Civs
C-Tier civilizations are situational and may require more experienced play to excel.
C-Tier: Mughal
Paradise of Nations - +75% Gold from all sources. -25% to all other yields. +30% Production towards constructing the Red Fort.
Sepoy - Mughal Unique Infantry Unit that can make a Bombard Ranged attack.
Zamindar - Mughal Unique Settler capable of founding new Towns. +1 Population on new Settlements.
Stepwell - +2 Food from adjacent Farms. Mughal Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on Flat Terrain. Cannot be placed adjacent to another Stepwell.
The Mughal civilization offers a significant Gold boost but at the cost of other yields. While potentially powerful in the right circumstances, the -25% penalty to other yields requires careful management to keep up with the Science and Culture demands of the Modern Age. The Mughal's other traits are solid but not game-changing, making it a challenging choice for less experienced players.
